A wide variety of situations require inserting an item into an orifice. Sometimes these items are delicate and/or require a relatively precise means for inserting such an item into an orifice. For example, inserting nuclear fuel rods into a nuclear reactor, and inserting oil well sleeves to an oil well. Without an insertion guide device, such a situation will require delicate manipulation and precise insertion of the sample or an item to be inserted, thereby often increasing the time and labor cost as well as increasing the risk of potential accidents or disasters.
For example, in chemistry, NMR is an indispensable analytical method. NMR is routinely used in organic chemistry for compound identification and analysis. High-field NMR instruments are expensive and require continuous maintenance. Consequently at universities their regular use is mostly limited to research purposes.
In the last few years several companies have begun producing benchtop NMR spectrometers. When used at universities, these benchtop NMR instruments enable more undergraduate students to have direct experience with using this vital analysis method. These benchtop spectrometers have sleek designs and many excellent features.
However, one of the major problems that exists involves accidental breakage of NMR sample tubes, which are made of glass, that are used with these Instruments. The long, thin, and fragile tubes are inserted into the top of the instrument and breakages occur regularly with inexperienced users (e.g., undergraduate students in large lab classes). While the breakage typically does not damage the instrument, the process of removing broken glass then cleaning and recalibrating the instrument requires many hours. Aside from the time and labor to get the instrument operational, a sample breakage effectively removes the instrument from service for the remainder of a lab session (or longer).
Therefore, there is a need for an insertion guide device that facilitates or makes it easier to insert a sample or an item (such as a sample container, oil well sleeve, nuclear fuel rod, etc.) into an orifice. Such a device would significantly reduce, prevent or minimize accidental breakage of an item to be inserted and also would significantly reduce the time and labor for inserting such an item into an orifice.